Fixed-wing – Page 146

  • News

    Autonomous refueling considered for KC-46A upgrade plan

    2018-05-03T19:19:57Z

    ​Although the delivery of the first KC-46A Pegasus is still months away, Boeing is about to launch a follow-on development programme, with potential upgrades including autonomous refueling, improved survivability and new communications systems, says the company’s programme manager.

  • ScanEagle3 - Insitu
    News

    Insitu launches ScanEagle3 without ITAR restrictions

    2018-05-03T09:45:03Z

    Boeing-owned Insitu used the annual AUVSI gathering to unveil its ScanEagle3 unmanned air vehicle.

  • Analysis

    ANALYSIS: Asia's aircraft carrier renaissance

    2018-05-03T09:42:21Z

    November will mark the sixth anniversary of China's first fixed-wing flight operations aboard the aircraft carrier Liaoning. Conducted with Shenyang J-15s – a clone of the Sukhoi Su-33 – the development was greeted with much pride in China.

  • News

    ​USAF teaching dogfighting to small autonomous drones

    2018-05-03T09:14:04Z

    The US Air Force Academy is attempting to teach autonomous unmanned air vehicles when to perform combat manoeuvres used by fighter pilots to counter potential swarms of adversarial UAVs.

  • News

    ​Textron unveils thrust-vectoring X5-55 VTOL drone

    2018-05-03T08:29:42Z

    Textron Systems unveiled its X5-55 vertical take-off and landing engineering testbed at the AUVSI Xponential show in Denver, Colorado, on 1 May.

  • News

    Bell to demonstrate Autonomous POD Transport to US military

    2018-05-03T08:17:01Z

    Bell Helicopter plans to demonstrate its Autonomous POD Transport, a tail-sitting vertical take-off and landing unmanned air vehicle, to several branches of the US military, including the Marine Corps, in the "late summer or early fall".

  • News

    Boeing plans affordability changes for new wave of P-8 orders

    2018-05-03T00:17:11Z

    ​As Boeing assembles the 100th P-8 Poseidon in Renton, Washington, the company is laying the groundwork to secure dozens of new orders by revamping the design and production process to reduce costs.

  • P-1 - Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force
    News

    Japan yet to decide on P-1 fleet size

    2018-05-02T12:46:45Z

    ​Japan has yet to reach a firm decision on the future size of its Kawasaki Heavy Industries P-1 maritime patrol aircraft fleet, or determine whether the surveillance asset could be exported to international buyers.

  • Analysis

    ANALYSIS: Boeing pitches doubling navy's EA-18G Growler fleet

    2018-05-02T08:21:14Z

    Stretched thinly by escort jamming responsibilities not only for its native US Navy, but also for the US Air Force and soon the US Marine Corps, the nation's 160-strong fleet of Boeing EA-18G Growlers may need to grow. That is the belief of the type's manufacturer, which is eyeing a ...

  • News

    US plans to order up to 1,600 GBU-49 bombs for foreign F-35

    2018-05-01T19:07:17Z

    ​The US military plans to order 1,400 to 1,600 Raytheon GBU-49 Enhanced Paveway bombs in the fourth quarter to distribute to certain foreign customers of the Lockheed Martin F-35, according to an acquisition notice released on 30 April.

  • News

    US approves AH-1Z attack helicopter sale to Bahrain

    2018-05-01T13:55:44Z

    ​The US Department of State has approved the possible sale of 12 Bell AH-1Z attack helicopters to Bahrain.

  • News

    India expands Dhruv cockpit upgrade

    2018-05-01T10:02:56Z

    Israel Aerospace Industries' Lahav division has received a follow-on contract to continue an avionics upgrade on the Indian armed forces' Hindustan Aeronautics Dhruv advanced light helicopters.

  • Analysis

    ANALYSIS: US Navy takes lead in bringing Stingray on board

    2018-05-01T08:44:55Z

    A "Group 5" unmanned air system holds a special place in the US military's jargon. As the largest and most capable UAS in the inventory, the Group 5 fleet forms an exclusive club. For now, only three aircraft types in development or production are included: General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' MQ-9 ...

  • News

    US policy shift could open door for Israeli UAV sales

    2018-04-30T15:09:43Z

    ​Israeli manufacturers could benefit from a decision by Washington to ease restrictions on the US defence industry's sale of armed unmanned air vehicles, although they are likely to face increased competition.

  • Analysis

    ANALYSIS: UK gets ready to rejoin aircraft carrier elite

    2018-04-30T13:55:04Z

    Back in November 2010, then-Lt Cdr James Blackmore became the last BAE Systems Harrier pilot to launch from the flightdeck of the Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, bringing to an end three decades of shipborne short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) operations from the service's three Invincible-class carriers.

  • News

    Sierra Nevada and Textron to jointly bid again for Army aircraft

    2018-04-27T20:10:16Z

    ​Sierra Nevada and Textron reaffirmed their commitment to jointly bid on the US Army's Fixed-Wing Utility Aircraft programme using a new variant of the Beechcraft King Air 350 even though that aircraft was rejected in September 2017 by the service.

  • Opinion

    OPINION: Franco-German fighter pact promises much

    2018-04-27T08:49:08Z

    ​World events can be so confusing. One day, French President Emmanuel Macron is engaging in high-profile – and surprisingly tactile – meetings with his US counterpart Donald Trump, and the very next, the defence industry champions of Berlin and Paris have gone all protectionist.

  • News

    Boeing completes final FAA test on KC-46 tanker programme

    2018-04-26T23:56:37Z

    ​Boeing’s KC-46 tanker programme completed all required Supplemental Type Certificate flight tests for the Federal Aviation Administration following a successful refueling and communications flight with a C-17 cargo plane.

  • News

    US senators introduce bill to block F-35 delivery to Turkey

    2018-04-26T21:22:08Z

    ​A bi-partisan group of US senators introduced a bill to prevent the transfer of the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II to Turkey.

  • News

    Northrop Grumman to develop algorithms to counter fast-changing enemy radar

    2018-04-26T20:27:15Z

    ​Northrop Grumman was awarded a $7.3 million cost-plus-fixed-fee contract by the US Navy to develop machine learning algorithms to help the EA-18G Growler’s electronic warfare systems pin down and jam fast-changing enemy radar signals.